Dhumma slams Takht, says SAD appeasing vote bank

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 26

Damdami Taksal head Harnam Singh Dhumma, who is considered close to the Badal family, today openly slammed the state government and Akal Takht for not taking timely action against Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale for his “irresponsible utterances”.

Dhumma today held a meeting with various Sikh organisations at the Taksal headquarters, Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash, at Mehta near here.

Accusing the SAD government of “playing vote bank politics and initiating a biased probe”, Dhumma alleged that Taksal supporters were subjected to third degree torture by the police whereas Dhadrianwale’s supporters enjoyed political patronage. “Though I had no prior knowledge of the attack on Dhadrianwale, I will support those arrested for their alleged involvement,” he said.

“We met Taksal supporters in police custody. They were given inhuman treatment even as not a single question was raised over the role of armed Dhadrianwale’s supporters who had also opened fire during the clash near Ludhiana. This clearly depicts the one-sided action by the police at the behest of the SAD government,” he alleged.

Dhumma said several Sikh preachers had attracted the attention of political parties which wanted to woo their supporters. “Unfortunately, there is a lot of political interference in Sikh religious affairs,” he said.

On Akal Takht Jathedar’s offer to resolve the issue amicably, Dhumma said he would consider it only if Dhadrianwale issued an apology in public for defaming the Damdami Taksal.

“Akal Takht had remained a mute spectator during the recent incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib. Sikh maryada is being violated with impunity, but no action is taken. Even Dhadrianwale has been issuing derogatory statement against the Damdami Taksal for the past four years, but no note was ever taken by the Jathedar who is responsible for the unrest among the Sikh community. Had Jathedar been vigilant about such incidents, the ongoing crisis could have been averted,” he said.

Others present on the occasion included Ishar Singh, son of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Maan Singh, Nihang Singh, Darshan Singh Gurdaspur, Harjeet Singh Harchowal, Harjit Singh Nanaksar and Satnam Singh Jaffarwal.